The present invention relates generally to a method and system for coordinating access to Internet web sites by a group of web browsers that are being run at a group of user terminals.
It is known that users can retrieve information from web sites (network sites) via the Internet. The basic model for retrieving information from web sites is user initiated information searching. Specifically, a user interacts with (via a terminal) a web browser to send a request to a web site. In response to the request, the web server for the web site retrieves the information requested and sends the web browser the information arranged in so called web page (HTML) format. One of the unique features of this model is the feature of "hyper-text links" embedded in web pages that have been retrieved. This feature enables a user searching for information to "navigate" from one web page to another.
In order to provide services (or assistance) to users (or consumers) via the Internet, it is desirable to provide features to: (1) synchronize web pages that are being browsed among a group of web browsers, (2) track activities performed to the web pages, and (3) synchronize activities performed to data elements on a web page that is being displayed at a group of user terminals, and (4) track activities performed to data elements on a web page that is being displayed at a group of user terminals. As such, it is also desirable to provide a mechanism for dependably managing web synchronization and tracking operations among multiple browsers.
One difficulty in designing such a mechanism is that individual browsers do not report all the activities performed to a web server. For example, when a browser loads web pages from its browser cache space or from a proxy server, it does not send requests to any web servers. This increases the difficulty to synchronize and track the activities from an individual browser.
Another difficulty in designing such a mechanism is to design application programs portable to different web browsers. Application programs designed for one web browser are typically not portable to another web browser manufactured by another vendor because browser interface mechanisms are proprietary.
Still another difficulty in designing such a mechanism is that individual browsers send their requests to web servers in a stateless manner. To a web server, a preceding request has no relation with a subsequent request. In processing requests, a web site has no control over the sequences of the requests.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method to dependably manage web synchronization and tracking operations.
There is another need for an improved method to dependably manage information synchronization and tracking operations without requiring knowledge of the details about the web navigation software.
There is yet another need for an improved method to design applications for dependably managing web synchronization and tracking operations that are portable to different software environments.
The present invention meets these needs.